food for fish

Who's in control?

In an attempt to secure the sovereignty of God, theologians have overstated their case and left us with a chess-player God playing both sides of the board, making all his moves and all ours too. But clearly, this is not so. God is a person who takes immense risks. No doubt the biggest risk of all was when he gave angels and men free will, including the freedom to reject him � not just once, but every single day. Does God cause a person to sin? �Absolutely not!� says Paul (Gal. 2:17). Then he can�t be moving all the pieces on the board, because people sin all the time. Fallen angels and men use their powers to commit horrendous daily evil. Does God stop every bullet fired at an innocent victim? Does he prevent teenage liaisons from producing teenage pregnancies? There is something much more risky going on here then we�re often willing to admit.

Most of us do everything we can to reduce the element of risk in our lives. We wear our seat belts, watch our cholesterol, and practice birth control. I know some couples who have decided against having children altogether; they simply aren�t willing to chance the heartache children often bring. What if they are born with a crippling disease? What if they turn their backs on us, and God? What if�? God seems to fly in the face of all creation. Even though he knew what would happen, what heartbreak and suffering and devastation would follow upon our disobedience, God chose to have children. And unlike some hyper-controlling parents, who take away every element of choice they can from their children, God gave us a remarkable choice. He did not make Adam and Eve obey him. He took a risk. A staggering risk, with staggering consequences. He let others into his story, and he lets their choices shape it profoundly.

//Wild At Heart: John Eldredge//

This book is targeted at Christian men, but I found this passage applicable to anyone; it�s a question that I�ve gone over and over myself, and this is the first real good explanation I�ve read, and could investigate. I think many Christians have this belief that God is controlling every little detail of our lives, God has this power, but he doesn�t use it. I believe that God works this way because he loves us, why make us robots, or control everything, let us make our decisions, then it�s genuine and true.